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Left atrial volume index in highly trained athletes
Antonello D'Andrea1, Lucia Riegler, Rosangela Cocchia
1Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy. antonellodandrea@libero.it
American Heart Journal
|June 24, 2010
Summary
Mild enlargement of the left atrial (LA) volume index is common in elite athletes and is considered a normal physiological adaptation to intense exercise training. This finding suggests that increased LA volume is part of the athlete's heart syndrome.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Sports Medicine
- Physiology
Background:
- The "athlete's heart" encompasses various cardiac adaptations to training.
- Increased left atrial (LA) diameter is a known component of this phenomenon.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of competitive training on LA volume.
- To establish reference values for the LA volume index in athletes.
Main Methods:
- Transthoracic echocardiography was performed on 615 elite athletes (endurance vs. strength-trained).
- LA maximal volume was measured using the biplane area-length method and indexed to body surface area.
- Mild and moderate LA dilatation were defined based on specific LA volume index ranges.
Main Results:
- Elite endurance athletes (ATE) exhibited greater LA volume index compared to strength-trained athletes (ATS).
- Mild LA enlargement (24.3%) was observed in athletes, with moderate enlargement in 3.2% (all males).
- Training type and duration, along with left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume, were independent predictors of LA volume index.
Conclusions:
- Mild LA volume index enlargement is a frequent finding in highly trained athletes.
- This enlargement is likely a physiological adaptation to exercise conditioning.
- LA volume index is significantly influenced by training modality and duration.
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